How do we determine if a food is healthy? If it is low in carbgs but high in cholesterol. High in caloried and fats but rich in nutrients. WHat in the end determoines if a food is healthy, unghealthy or somewhere n between and where do most foods lay?

But nowadays, it's hard to make sure whether healthy-called foods are really healthy for us..for example like this, if we take a look at cow milk which is said to be a healthy drink, now I'm not sure that it's healty. The reason, on the fats that contained in cow milk. is it still HDL? or already exchanged with LDL because of the foods that the cows've eaten?

Another case is, we (in my country) are suggested to consume non-fats food to avoid obesity and another health problems (seems like all fats are bad). But, recent studies proved that not all fats are bad for health and do you believe that some companies have converted those fats with more carbohydrates that results a higher calories compared to the same food product before converted...

I think, if we want a really healthy diet....just make a calory measurement, fats & oil testing, sugar testing, etc. before you start eating..

Q: Why are chemists great for solving problems?
A: They have all the solutions.

It is true that you need to have a healthy diet and don't overeat anything. vegetarians, for example, don't have a healthy diet because they lack certain aminoacids, like lysine. But there are certain foods that are deffinetly not good for you. If you are wondering what, just go to your local McDonald's and order. Doesn't really matter what Take it from me, i am McDonald's anonymus

"As a biologist, I firmly believe that when you're dead, you're dead. Except for what you live behind in history. That's the only afterlife" - J. Craig Venter

You're right about McDonald's; have you heard about all the lawsuits against it? People actually try to sue McDonald's for selling unhealthy food and blame them for their own obesity problems. It was their own choice to eat from there though... it's not like McDonald's was stuffing cheeseburgers down their throats with a shovel...!

@Andrew
Since I moved to Yogyakarta to continue my study, I almost being a vegetarian..just imagine..for more than 2 weeks I only eat meat for 2 times..

For some information, in Indonesia, McDonalds is one of the most favorite fast-junk food restaurant.. ironic huh?that's my people, consumtive but not selective.. From article that I've read, some junk food restaurant only sell LDL fatted food (they also often use hydrogenated frying oil which is bad to people's health)

Q: Why are chemists great for solving problems?
A: They have all the solutions.

@victor
McDonald's is the favourite here as well.. You are right about the oil. I read in a magazine that eating 3 McDonal's french fries portions/week increases the chances of getting cancer by something like 8% I used to be McDonald's addict, but i decided i like living better than that food...
@KaylethGrey
i have heard of this as well. It is such a large scale phenomenon that McDonald's actually writes the calories inside every product on the trey...
And of course Dave is right...

"As a biologist, I firmly believe that when you're dead, you're dead. Except for what you live behind in history. That's the only afterlife" - J. Craig Venter